Artist Curated Projects

Artist Curated Projects, A Radical Artist-for-and-by Artist Collective– Artist Curated Projects cannot be accused of false advertising. The grassroots, pro-artistic-freedom endeavor was the brainchild of artists Eve Fowler (a highly prolific photographer) and Lucas Michael (a multimedia artist). “I remember we were on a hike together in 2008, talking about art,” 46-year-old Fowler says about the project’s genesis. “We were saying how we knew so many friends who made great work that no one knew about. It occurred to us to ask artists to curate a show for us.” ACP was born in the summer of 2008 out of Folwer’s apartment in Hollywood—in a building memorable to anyone passing down its hidden alley for a frieze of writer Jack London on its façade (the site was originally an art school founded by sculptor Finn Haakon Frolich, and London used to stay here when he visited L.A.). “We’re a no budget operation,” explains Michael. “And our projects tend to have a queer bend. The evolution has been really organic, and now about 135 artists are involved.” Early projects saw sculptures, ceramics, and video work installed across Fowler’s room floors (as well as up walls, on top of the dining room table, and hanging from the ceiling). Participants included K8 Hardy, Tony Payne, and Amanda Ross-Ho, and while there is an ad-hoc feel about the setting, the result is emotionally and intellectually invested. It wasn’t long before ACP spilled out of Fowler’s home and found provisional satellites around the city. Other artist’s houses, non-profit art spaces, online, and even, for a recent series of artist-led tea ceremonies, at the iconic Schindler House. Fowler and Michael are supplying a platform to build a creative cross-pollinating community outside of the usual commercial or museum setting. Community is so essential that our photograph of ACP needs to include one editor note: Fowler and Michael went to great lengths not to be the center of this photograph. And we apologize if they appear any more significant here than the equally invaluable artists who encircle them.